Terribly Secret
by Stalker-kun
Summary: Gumi's adopted brother has a new girlfriend, whom she discovers to actually be a psychopathic serial killer who plans to start a new spree. Can Gumi protect Gakupo from the vain, insane Luka?
1. Scent of Decay

Winter came too soon for the Kamui household. The home their deceased parents left for them was a modest abode, situated just outside of the bustling Shibuya prefecture. Snow enveloped the surrounding neighborhood and continued to pile around the houses. It was such a lonely time of year.

Gumi sat in front of a small television with her feet propped up on the opposite end of the sofa. The remote dangled precariously from her hand as she heaved another sigh and flipped through the channels. Her short, green hair stuck out at every which angle because of the static electricity her blanket gave off. A lazy expression glazed over her face as she yawned and dropped the remote onto the coffee table; she'd have to settle for the Shopping Network. As she tried to immerse herself into the program, her eyes dimmed and fluttered. Sleep was weighing heavily upon her now, like an unyielding bulldozer.

"It's too early to go to bed." She muttered, loosely flopping around on the couch to keep herself active for a moment. Groaning, she tilted her head backwards and stared at the front door. The longer she looked, the angrier she became.

Her older brother, Gakupo, had promised to come straight home after the office tonight. Gumi went to the trouble of preparing his favorite meal despite the obvious lack of funds. Unfortunately, Gakupo never showed and her dinner went to waste. What was worse, their furnace had broken down again.

It wasn't the spoiled food or biting chill that bothered her. It was the fact that her brother hand't called or bothered to contact her. He usually told her if he was going to be late so she wouldn't stay up into the wee hours of the morning worrying about him. He was such a flighty ding bat sometimes.

Gumi was actually adopted into the Kamui family. Her parents died when she was but an infant. She couldn't recall their voices, faces, or any other memories. The only image she carried of them was from a photo Gakupo had given her as a child. He was always careful with her feelings. He was the one she could go to when everything else turned onto its head.

Screeching tires alerted the sleepy girl almost immediately. She jumped off of the couch and straightened the wrinkles out of her school uniform. It was the first day of winter break, and she couldn't wait to spend it with her beloved brother.

The door jarred open, blasting frigid gusts of air through the entire house. Gumi retreated to her blanket and watched the entryway intently. Gakupo stepped through the threshold with an uncharacteristic grin etched across his thin lips.

Gumi knew something was awry.

Just as Gakupo moved aside, a tall woman followed him into the house. More arctic than the raging blizzard that threatened their neighborhood, she gave Gumi the creeps. Her icy eyes scanned the living room. It wasn't until she saw Gumi that her nonchalant attitude melted into silent loathing.

"You're still awake, Gumi?" The older sibling piped up suddenly, trying to hide his embarassment.

"I've been worried sick about you!" His little sister retorted, a red glow flaring out from her cheeks. Her lips tightened as she refered to the woman beside him, "Who's that?"

Gakupo's displeased expression told her enough. He silently scolded her for being so ill-mannered and brought the woman closer to his side so as to properly introduce her. "This is Luka. She's my -"

"_You_ have a girlfriend?" Gumi choked.

Her brother happily nodded. Just as he was about to reply, Luka interjected, "What a _charming _home you have, Gakkun."

Narrowing her eyes and groaning, Gumi gagged. The woman had about as much sweetness as a flank of rotting tuna. She was also playing her older brother for a fool. He had terrible luck with women, so the first broad to bat eyelashes at him was undoubtedly _the one_. It was up to Gumi to rid her family of this parasite, and the quicker the better.

Luka wasn't stupid, though.

"This is my sister Gumi." Gakupo elbowed the irate teenager and cleared his throat, urging her to make a proper introduction.

"Hi." Gumi scoffed, throwing a backward glance at Luka, who was already glaring her down like a vicious animal of prey. It almost scared the girl sitting on the couch. She shifted around uncomfortably and tugged on her brother's sleeve. "She's not staying, is she?"

"Of course she is! Didn't hear about the blizzard warning?" Gakupo whispered hoarsely.

Niether of the Kamui siblings expected the horror that would unfold that dark, stormy weekend. Loyalties would be tested, spirits would be broken, and blood would be spilled. The question was: Who was going to come out alive and well?


	2. The Nightmare Begins

Sitting across the table with a perplexed look plastered onto her face, Gumi couldn't keep her eyes off of Gakupo's new girlfriend. She squinted and strained her big eyes trying to figure out what Luka's motives were for hooking up with a guy like her brother. For some reason, it bothered her.

Girls like Luka usually laughed at Gakupo's pathetic attempts at wooing them. The only thing he had going for him were his looks. Even then, most higher class women strayed from him. He just had terrible luck when it came to love.

Then again, Gumi had a shameful attraction to him. He'd always been there to look after her, especially after their parents passed away. He entered the work force at an early age because they struggled to remain within their home. The cost of living had risen since the accident, so Gakupo was forced to work longer, harder shifts at the office. Gumi admired his dedication and strength. She aspired to become as much like her brother as she could.

Maybe that's why she disliked Luka so much. She was obviously playing Gakupo for a fool. The disgust in her narrow eyes gave it away when she glanced back at Gumi from the opposite end of the table. Her otherworldly charm and beauty had hypnotized Gakupo into ignoring his younger sibling. He would do anything for Luka at this point.

"I'm going to bed." Gumi grumbled, standing from her chair and padding into the hallway.

"Aren't you going to finish your dinner?" Gakupo asked with an exasperated sigh. His little sister was being strangely difficult tonight, and he couldn't figure out why. Perhaps it had something to do with bringing another woman into the house uninvited?

"Good night, nii-chan."

Gumi glanced back at Luka again, who seemed pleased with her decision. It sent an unpleasant tremor along her spine and a terrible foreboding sloshed around in her stomach, like something awful was about to happen. She lumbered into her bedroom and quickly shut the door, cringing from the pain within her abdomen. Flopping onto her bed and shuddering, she slowly drifted to sleep.

The night wore on, wind howling around the Kamui house and clawing at the walls like a hungry animal demanding entry. Such noises and shadows could easily be mistaken for an intruder. The atmosphere within was fearful enough to permit it.

Gumi felt something rustle against her blanket. She groaned, forcing her eyes open and choking at the sight of Gakupo lying beside her. Deviance glinted within his expression, suggesting something _unnaturally _crude. His long hair spilled over the curves of her pillow, no longer knotted back into the usual ponytail. As he lifted a hand to caress Gumi's cheek, she backed away.

"What's wrong, my dear _imouto_?" Gakupo asked in a luxurious tone, reaching out to her.

Gumi tumbled over the side of her bed and crashed onto the hardwood floor below. Scrambling to her feet, she nimbly dodged her brother's lashing fingers. Something was definitely wrong. This wasn't the Gakupo she knew.

"Forget about it already," The doppelganger laughed behind her as she tried to open the door. He grabbed Gumi by the shoulders and pinned her against the cold wall, breathing poison into her wake, "he's mine."

He vanished within an instant.

She crawled across the floor and peered into her bed, relieved to see it empty. Stretching her arms above her head, she yawned, "That's the last time I eat eggplant before bed."

Gakupo stood near the end of her bed.

Her heart stopped and all manner of speech abandoned her. She could only point up at him in disbelief and try to scream. His face was horribly distorted; his gentle eyes replaced with a pair of icy, blue crescents. The figure leaned over the mattress and grinned wickedly, its smile widening far past its ears.

"You have been warned."

Then, it exploded. A thick wave of blood and flesh splashed into Gumi, staining her scarlet. Unable to sob or utter any audible words, she sat there, staring out at the sea of gore that surrounded her bed. There was something strange about the blood that soaked through her uniform and blanket.

It was cold. Frigid, even.

Gumi bolted upright, her breath ragged as she frantically glanced around the dark room. Upon inspection, she found her clothes and blanket to be dry. The floor wasn't washed with innards, either. Only her stuffed animals and school supplies covered it.

"It must have been a dream." She sighed, pushing the sheets away and shivering. Not about to remain in her room after such a nightmare, she quietly slipped into the hallway and walked towards the family room. Perhaps the television could help her fall asleep.

Gakupo and their uncouth guest had already went to bed. Not a single ray of light shone within the house. Eerily enough, Gumi felt like she was being watched, which she blamed the nightmare for.

A wintry gust of air bellowed throughout the corridor as the front door opened. Gumi crept along the wall and swallowed hard; someone was either in the family room or had just went outside. She blindly reached for the nearest blunt object, a lamp, and sneaked into the family room behind the sofa to get a closer look at the intruder...


	3. This Fragmented Reality

A sharp cry pierced the unending darkness as Gumi launched an attack against the intruder, jumping onto their back and swinging the lamp around like a lunatic. Her assailant blindly floundered around in the pitch black, desperately searching for the light switch. Brilliantly, the light penetrated the room and Gumi's adversary sank to the floor in defeat.

"Nii-chan?" She gasped suddenly, rolling off of the battered form of poor, unsuspecting Gakupo. A wrench lay near his hand, suggesting he'd gone into the cellar to fix the furnace again. She shouldn't have made such a wild assumption and mistaken him for a common criminal.

Gakupo struggled to sit upright, and, with the assistance of his _loving_ sister, managed to flop onto the sofa to catch his breath. His lilac hair stuck out at every angle imaginable and bruises began to darken along his jaw line. Despite this, he calmly addressed his overwrought sibling, "Pray tell, my dearest _imouto_, what the heck were you thinking when you jumped on me?"

Gumi gulped and chose to remain silent.

"I don't understand you at all. You've been jumpy ever since I brought Luka into the house." Gakupo sighed and gently rubbed the sore spot along his cheek. His sister's guilt was obvious enough. He just wanted to know what put her on edge. It was bothersome to see her so unusually withdrawn from him. He reached across the couch and briefly touched her shoulder, whispering, "What's wrong?"

"I just -" Gumi's voice trailed off into the atmosphere. Tears stung at her big eyes, threatening to spill the secrets about her wild nightmare. Him being in her bed. Reaching for her. It was too scandalous to reveal.

Gakupo smiled; he knew her all too well.

"That must have been some nightmare."

Gumi hesitantly laughed, nodding in agreement and replacing the lamp onto its in-table. Warmth had slowly started to return to the room, and it was making her drowsy. Unfortunately, she had desire to go back into her room. It seemed like such a foreign place now.

"Would you stay until I fall asleep?" She chirped, tugging on Gakupo's sleeve.

"Don't I always?" He replied with a chuckle, and almost choked when Gumi laid her head in his lap. She'd curled into a ball as if she were that same, frightened little girl who used to keep him up in the wee hours of the morning because of a thunder storm or a scary movie she shouldn't have watched. And he relished every moment with her. It couldn't have lasted long enough.

She was snoring before he could glance up at the clock.

Lifting her gently into his arms, Gakupo carried his slumbering sister into her room and tucked her into bed. He bent over her slightly, blood rushing into his face, and reluctantly kissed her forehead.

"Sweet dreams..." He murmured before walking out of the room.

Gakupo was in excellent spirits the following morning, despite the blizzard that still raged outside of their home. After cooking one of Gumi's favorite breakfasts, he retired to the family room to watch some television with Luka.

Gumi still had a funny feeling about her but disregarded it for her brother's sake. If this was his chance at happiness she wouldn't stand in his way, no matter how she felt about him. She decided that cleaning the entire house was the only way to alleviate her stress.

Gakupo's room was immaculately clean, as always. She didn't dare to start on her own room first because it would take her all afternoon to straighten it. That left the guest room where Luka was staying temporarily.

Cracking the door open, Gumi shuffled into Luka's room. Several books were scattered across the bed, and upon closer inspection, contained a strange variety of subject matter. From anatomy to newspaper articles, Luka must have been a busy reader. One clipping in particular caught Gumi's eye, and she indulged her curiosity.

"Brutal murders ravage the south end of the Shinjuku prefecture: Local police are baffled at a maniacal, methodical string of killings that took place in the southern residential district of the Shinjuku area. Citizens were astonished at the monstrous nature of the crimes, all involving younger men having their limbs hacked off and displayed in a crude manner around the scene of the crime. Their dismembered heads, unfortunately, were never recovered."

Gumi dropped the paper onto the mattress and shuddered, instantly reminded of her bizarre nightmare wherein her brother's face became horribly distorted, no longer his own. She continued her search of Luka's room, and wound up under the bed.

She pulled out a large, black briefcase. It was weighty and well-worn, as if it'd had a lot of years behind it. Hesitantly unlatching the clasps that held it shut, she took a peek at what was inside. Her fears only worsened.

An array of hand-held weapons such as knives, axes, and guns were stowed away within.

"Do you make it a habit to rummage through people's personal belongings?" Luka angrily echoed from the doorway.

Gumi froze in terror and realization. She'd been caught. And her brother's life was now in greater danger.

The question was: Would he believe his sister when she told him the truth?


	4. The Hunter's Quarry

Gumi slammed the suitcase shut and quickly shoved it under the bed. If she could gather her wits, perhaps she could talk her way out of this mess. She seemed innocent enough to Luka not to be a threat but now the frigid woman thought otherwise.

"_Gomen ne_! I was just cleaning up!" she spouted, tears forming around her eyes as she veered around to face her angry house guest. She pretentiously clasped her hands behind her back and frowned; Luka wasn't buying into the innocent act any longer. Her true purpose for staying at the Kamui house had been discovered.

"What's going on in there?"

Gakupo appeared in the hallway with a spatula in one hand and a frilly, white apron draped over his broad shoulders. He walked into the guest room and adamantly came between the two girls. Luka was the first to speak up,

"She was digging through my belongings, _Gakkun_."

He glanced between the older woman and his younger sister, shrugging his shoulders after stumbling upon a faulty conclusion. He drew a long, deep breath and briefly closed his eyes. "I'm sure that Gumi meant no harm. She's only trying to help me with the chores."

"Honestly, I didn't, _aniki_..." Gumi lowered her head and sniffed, a maneuver she reserved for desperate situation such as this. Without fail, it always rallied her older brother's support to her cause, regardless of the circumstances.

Luka's gaze almost burned a crater into the carpet; she was fuming. Her charms had never failed her. Men always did as she dictated. But to be defeated by a mere child, that was what enraged her. Her pride had been singed and there would be hell to pay. She would see to that.

Gakupo winced as his lover's eyes met him angrily. Taking Gumi gently by the hand, he led her out of the guest bedroom and whispered aside into her ear, "Just stay out of her room for now, okay? I'll clean it later."

"You do believe me, right?" His sister asked with a severe tone.

"Of course." he laughed, mussing her green hair and sauntering back into the kitchen to finish preparing lunch. Gumi stood in the hallway for a moment, intently watching the door of Luka's room, wondering what she was planning. Even if it meant putting her own life on the line, she wasn't about to let that psychotic woman kill her brother.

Sighing, she walked away from the guest room and into the kitchen. Luka wasn't apt to pull anything while she was looking. Like the murderers she saw in movies, Luka would most likely strike when her back was turned. Gumi just had to know when.

"Lunch isn't ready yet." Gakupo mumbled as he shuffled through the cabinet below the counter searching for a mixing bowl.

"Nii-chan, could I ask you something?"

A loud thump resounded against the counter and Gakupo emerged with a large knot on his forehead. He scrunched his face together and replied in a perturbed voice, "Is this about a boy?"

Gumi's face reddened at the mention of romance and stammered defensively, "Seriously, nii-chan!"

The eldest heaved a frustrated sigh and pulled up a pair of chairs from the dining table. He beckoned his sibling forward and urged her to sit down. Pocketing his trusty spatula and crossing his legs, he started, "I'm listening, Gumi."

Her throat was dry and sore as she tried to explain what Luka's real intentions were. "It's about Luka -"

"This _again_?"

She'd already lost ground as far as her brother was concerned. It would take something drastic to convince him; perhaps a confession would snap him back into reality and break the spell Luka had cast over him.

"You don't understand!" Gumi cried, jolting out of her chair and grabbing her brother's hands between hers. She struggled to push the words out. "I love you, nii-chan! I don't want her to hurt you!"

"Hurt me?" Gakupo stared up at her with a quizzical expression.

"She's a criminal! A homicidal maniac!" Gumi sobbed, throwing her hands into the air and collapsing onto the floor. She just sat here, clawing at the tile in anguish and bawling like a newborn babe. Gakupo frowned and knelt beside her, taking her trembling form into his protective embrace.

"There, there. It was only a dream." He cooed, stroking her back and laying his head against hers. "I assure you, I'm not going anywhere."

Blood rushed into Gumi's face and she was overcome with rage. Wildly shaking her head and pushing Gakupo away, she shouted, "It wasn't just a dream, _baka_ _aniki_! I found things in her room! That newspaper article and the weapons under the bed!"

"She's a traveling martial artist! Those weapons are a part of her act!" Gakupo palmed his forehead. She was being remarkably difficult, even after he had sided with her in Luka's room. He'd hoped to score points with his sibling so she would accept the fact that he had a new girlfriend.

"Don't come crying to me when you're dead!"

Gumi stomped out into the corridor and rushed into her room, tears flying like bullets. She slumped against her door and stuffed her head between her knees. What was she supposed to do now? She couldn't possibly hope to protect her brother in such a state of disarray and confusion. He would hinder any effort she made to deter Luka from carrying out his demise.

The wind howled outside of the cellar, scratching at the open door as it flapped around like it were made of paper. Snowy footprints descended the stairs and halted abruptly before the house's electrical breaker system.

"Lights out."

And, with a flip of the switch, the Kamui house lost all power.

A lithe figure moved around in the cellar's darkness, clicking heels up against the cold concrete and giggling as something emerged from the shadows. It happily greeted its master, crimson eyes aglow.

"Leave the man to me." A familiar voice echoed maliciously.

The creature snarled and began its swift ascent up the stairs towards the house. Towards its intended prey within a bedroom on the first floor.

**A/N: **"Imouto" does mean younger sister. "Aniki" means older brother.


	5. Dancing with Cerberus

Gakupo groaned and shuffled out of the front door, straight into the heart of the blizzard that raged outside. The muffler his younger sister had bought for him last year as a birthday gift was the only thing keeping him from freezing to death as he made his way to the cellar.

"What the – "he started in a hoarse voice, throwing the cellar door open and staring down at the stairs. Curiously enough, tiny, wet footprints descended into the basement, meaning that the power outage was no accident. Once he reached the final landing, he squinted into the darkness and caught a glimpse of the intruder. Relieved, he sighed, "Ah, _Luka-chan_, it's only you."

Turning slightly, the woman smiled. "Why, _Gakkun_, what brings you out here at such an ungodly hour?"

"The same as you; I came to investigate the breaker system." Gakupo crossed the room and joined Luka beside the circuit box. A chill raced along his spinal cord as he noticed the sinister smile his lovely girlfriend sported. Glancing down, he spotted another peculiarity. "What's the rope for?"

"You ask too many questions," Luka hissed, lurching forward and wrapping the rope around his neck. Her luminescent eyes glittered with delight as she tightened her grip and Gakupo gasped, swinging at her. "Just like that stupid little sister of yours. Really, dear, you should have more faith in me…"

* * *

"_Nii-chan_, is that you?" Gumi cracked her bedroom door open and poked around the corner. The house's electricity must have cut off while she was asleep. It was just like the night before; the hallway was nothing but a gaping, black abyss. Time was against her, though. If Luka were to choose an opportunity to strike, it would be this. She had to get to Gakupo before her.

Creeping along the corridor, Gumi passed by the family room, hearing a low, throaty growl echo from behind the sofa. Her neon flashlight shone into the room, revealing nothing. Thus, she dismissed the apparition as being her imagination and continued through the house until she reached her brother's bedroom.

Before she could turn the knob, something latched onto her leg and a stinging sensation shot throughout her body like a stray bullet. A shrilly cry escaped her throat as she beheld the source of her anguish, a black creature with fangs like a thousand knives.

Screaming, she dropped her flashlight and proceeded to beat her leg up against the wall, weakening the black beast's hold over her. With a yelp, it finally released her leg and collapsed onto the carpet in a fit of rage. Gumi scrambled out of the hallway and into the kitchen.

"Oh God, oh God…" she murmured, throwing drawers open and searching for a means to defend herself. Cutlery clattered onto the tiled floor and alerted the monstrosity down the hall. Panicked, the green-haired girl snatched a filthy butcher knife out of the murky sink water.

A hellish shriek heralded the return of her adversary. It sped along the floor in a blur of motion and leapt into the air, mouth wide and intent upon rending her fingers from her hand. Gumi deftly limped out of its path and cringed as it crashed into the refrigerator with a bloody howl. Escaping into the safety of the hallway, she slipped behind a wall into the family room once again.

An eerie, ugly silence was all that followed. Her thundering heart was deafening above the quiet, and she felt it jump into her throat as she pulled the knife closer to her face. The foul stench of whetted appetites and stale meat stung her nostrils, prompting tears to form around her eyes. Disgusting and horrifying at the same time.

Gumi was knocked into the floor seconds later as Luka's ghastly pet tackled her full-force. Blood dripped from the girl's fingers as she reached up and pushed the beast's vice-like jaws away from her bulging throat. The knife lay only a few inches away from her free hand, but she couldn't quite snatch it.

The ebony monster seemed to giggling at her plight, and sunk its razor-edged claws into her sides. With each wasted moment, its cavernous jaws came closer to her neck and her fingers stretched towards the knife with greater desperation.

She touched the knife's wooden handle, sobbing, "God, please…"

Gumi's fingers slid away from the creature's mouth and it dove for her jugular vein, meeting the cruel point of her knife at last. Gumi seized the fleeting distraction and chucked the beast into a wall with what little strength she could muster. Adrenaline coursed through her bloodstream and something feral possessed her body. The desire to survive and outwit her opponent took over as she staggered forward, knife in hand. As it clamped onto her arm, it finally noticed the girl's lack of sanity, but all too late. Ignoring the fiery vibrations that crawled along her arm, Gumi plunged the knife into the creature repeatedly until its vitals hung from its open belly and it flopped onto the floor in a heap.

Stumbling against the wall, Gumi panted and waited as the shock ceded into nothingness. She bent over and retrieved the dirty knife from the beast's belly. Her body was battered and bloody, but she had to confirm her brother's safety before tending her wounds.

Her flashlight was exactly where she dropped it, and she resumed the search of Gakupo's bedroom. The door creaked open and she dashed into the room, knife in the air and ready for action.

The room was empty.

* * *

**A/N: **Yes, this is going to be finished very soon. Sorry for the prolonged absence. Life happens and I hope everyone will stick around for the ride. :P


	6. Into the Underworld

Gakupo's eyes fluttered open, still heavy with the painful recollection of Luka's betrayal. He was unable to move any other part of his body. A tight gag wired his jaw shut and a series of cords held him fast to a cement pillar. His thoughts fled from his own well-being, and all he could see in his mind's eye were images of his little sister, battered and broken. He knew without a doubt that Luka would silence her.

"Feeling better, dear?" Luka bent over his restrained form, a revolver clutched in her left hand and a knife in the other. Her brilliant, blue eyes danced with malice as he squirmed under the knife's point against his throat and the gun pressed against his temple. She laughed and whispered into his ear, "Don't worry, _Gakkun_, I'm not going to kill you just yet. I still have some unfinished business with that ill-mannered sister of yours. I told you to keep her in line, but did you listen? No, no, no."

_'If only I'd listened to her...' _Gakupo thought to himself, struggling against his bindings.

"Now she's going to pay the price for your insolence, and it's such a pity to waste her. She's so young. If only she had a more reliable brother..." Striking him across the face with the butt end of her gun, Luka turned and left the cellar.

Tears fell from Gakupo's eyes as he endeavored to break from the binds that held him against the pillar. He grunted and spat blood against his gag, pulling on the cords with every ounce of strength he possessed. Luka wouldn't have the chance to kill his sister. Not if he killed her first, that is.

* * *

"That should do it..." Gumi rasped and stood in front of the mirror once more.

Her right leg, arm and side were covered in bandages. She looked like a mummy or some kind of war refugee. It was a sloppy job, but the real issue at hand was her brother's safety. That meant more than anything to her at the moment. Bending over, she retrieved her flashlight and bloodied knife from the toilet seat. Her next battle was with a foe much fiercer, so she opted for additional weaponry.

Creeping into her room, Gumi shone her flashlight around the floor to see what could be of some use to her. Nothing in particular caught her eye until she passed over her old baseball bat in the farthest corner of the room. She'd played some in middle school and was the star of the team, their best batter. Although the thought of bashing another human being's head in with it gave her chills, she hefted it onto her shoulder. Being steel, it was quite a weighty item. She was used to handling it, though. And she could swing it around like it were made of paper.

The front door was suddenly thrown ajar, and a blast of cold air whizzed throughout the entire house. Gumi quickly grabbed her goggles and dashed out into the hallway to meet the intruder. Her goggles weren't just for show; they possessed a special 'night vision' function. Gakupo bought them for her last Christmas and she loved to camp out with them or scare the daylights out of her brother in the middle of the night as he went to the bathroom. She never imagined using them for something like this.

"Where are you, _imouto_? Come out and play..." Her adversary chided, pointing her weapon into the air and firing a bullet into the ceiling to get her attention. As she passed by a table set against the wall, Gumi waited until her back was turned and leapt out of hiding.

Tackling Luka into the floor, she grunted, "What have you done with my brother?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Luka replied with a nasty sneer and threw Gumi off of her with ease. Her expertise in martial arts gave her the advantage. "I knew you were bold, but it also seems that you're also dumb. You see, I have a gun."

Firing a shot at Gumi's feet, she intentionally missed. To her dismay, it did little to scare the teenager off. It only seemed to make her angrier. The green-haired girl gnashed her teeth and lunged at the woman, swinging her bat like some maniac. Luka could barely keep up with her energy.

"I'm only asking you one more time! Where is Gakupo?" she hollered, striking Luka in the arm with her bat and knocking her gun across the hallway.

Stumbling back, the other woman realized that she had underestimated her opponent. She giggled under her breath and drew her machete, running her tongue along its glistening edge. "He's _mine_."

Gumi gasped as Luka darted forward and slashed at her with the long blade, ripping a section of her favorite t-shirt. Her enemy's reply suggested something sinister but hopeful. She didn't use any past-tense phrases or carry out a lengthy monologue on how she destroyed her brother. She simply replied, 'He's mine.' If he wasn't in the house, then where was he being held captive?

"You're stronger than you look, girl. You even managed to defeat my pet..." Luka had pinned Gumi into the floor, her blade only inches from the girl's face. A wicked grin illuminated Luka's face as she breathed poison into Gumi's wake, "So, tell me, which part of your _adorable_ face should I hack off first? Your nose? Your eyes? Or perhaps that annoying little tongue that has caused me so much trouble?"

Jabbing the butcher knife she'd taken from the sink into Luka's side, Gumi snarled, "Neither!"

Luka's machete barely scraped past Gumi's cheek, but left a scratch wide enough to feel pain from. She rolled onto the floor and clawed at the butcher knife caught between her ribs, glaring back at her would-be victim who was now running towards the family room.

Gumi's mind was racing alongside her as she caught her breath beside the front door, trying to recall anything from that early afternoon. All she could remember was taking a nap and then waking up to find the power out. She assumed it was knocked out by the storm, but...

"You little bitch..." Luka threw the dirty knife into the snow and watched Gumi make a beeline for the cellar. She hobbled after the girl and caught up with her at the stairs leading down into the darkened rooms below. Grabbing Gumi's hair, she bashed her head into the wall and tossed her down the stairs with another conceited giggle. "This makes things more interesting! Now I can kill you both at the same time!"

As Gumi staggered to her feet, she caught a glimpse of something tethered to the cement pillar from across the room, her brother.

* * *

**A/N**: Special thanks to dedicated fan, Akita Daichu, for her continued support. This one's for you. ;)


	7. Psyche's Triumph

Gakupo's luminous eyes glistened with fresh tears as he watched the horror unfold before him. Luka staggered down the stair well, ignoring her injuries. She was absolutely enthralled with how the whole dilemma panned out. Gumi simply returned her brother's ardent gaze and circled around to face Luka once more, bat in hand.

"I _won't_ let you hurt him." she declared, hefting the steel bat onto her shoulder and wiping blood away from her battered nose with the back of her hand. That solid resolve was what made Luka so ecstatic. She held the machete aloft, close to her lips and sighed, breathing deeply of the copper fragrance that emanated from the blood on its blade.

"Oh, this is the most fun I've had in years..."

Gumi winced, staring back at the older woman with disgust. "H-how many people have you killed?"

"Corpses don't tell secrets." A miniature knife flew away from Luka and whizzed along until it met with the scratchy surface of Gumi's bat, spinning out of control until it crashed into the circuit breaker behind its owner. She glanced over her shoulder and whistled, "You've got quite an arm."

But Gumi was no longer standing directly in front of her. She'd vanished.

"Eat steel, bitch!" The girl hollered from the side, swinging her bat and narrowly missing her legs. Sparks flew from the circuit box and illuminated the battlefield as Gumi scrambled in the opposite direction, narrowly avoiding Luka's sweeping machete. With the celerity of a frightened rabbit, she scaled a tower of old boxes, out of the blade's reach.

Luka growled under her ragged breath, clearly exhausted, "I just can't stand it when people _cheat_."'

Gasping, Gumi hopped onto the washer as Luka's well-trained leg struck her the base of her refuge, knocking every box into the floor below. Grinning, Luka caught her by the arm before she could escape again, and clamped her hand over the girl's mouth. She dragged her away from the washer by her head and back to their initial position before Gakupo.

A hellish shriek echoed around the cellar as Gumi sank her teeth into her attacker's hand, gnawing and gnashing at her milky skin until blood gushed from the new wound. Scurrying behind Luka, she retrieved the fallen knife near the breaker box and ran to her brother's aid.

"It's okay, _aniki_. I'll get you out of here..." she whispered and took the knife's serrated blade to his bindings.

Gakupo's eyes widened as Luka drew nearer, her face hot with rage. He screamed through his gag, endeavoring to alert his sibling. But his muffled warning came too late; Luka reached behind the cement pillar and plucked Gumi out by the hair of her head. Grunting, she slung the girl across the room and into the washer. A low giggle reverberated from her throat as she limped across the room, machete high above her head. Gumi struggled to stand up, but couldn't seem to find her footing. By this point, the outcome of their battle became quite clear.

A distant series of snaps resounded in the distance, and Luka quickly brought the machete down upon Gumi's weak, trembling form. It lingered only a few inches from the girl's face as it retracted, compelled by the force of her older brother's strong hands.

"Run, Gumi!" he called over his shoulder and backed Luka away from the washer. He cried out as Luka delivered a sharp blow to his abdomen with her knee, knocking him into the floor. As the huntress glared back at the washer, she noticed that her quarry had disappeared yet again. Glancing down, she caught a fleeting glimpse of her own demise as the girl snaked along the floor and tackled her, full-force, until she crashed into the circuit breaker. Electricity crackled and surged throughout Luka's battered body, and the sheer impact rocketed Gumi across the cellar into the opposite wall. Brilliant hues of blue and gold danced around Luka's skeletal frame as she convulsed and screamed. Her skin charred and wrinkled, her eyes bulged from their sockets and her blood evaporated into dust as she fell to the floor in a miserable, lifeless heap.

Kneeling beside his sister, Gakupo sobbed and gathered her rigid body into his arms. Her little body was riddled with wounds and bruises. He never knew she was capable of enduring so much pain. And it was all his doing. Every scratch and tuft of flesh torn away from her was done so by his hands. Burying his face into her bloody breast, he choked on his next breath, "F-forgive me, Gumi...Forgive me..."

"Ugh..." Gumi's dim, green eyes flickered open. She was lying down, surrounded by a sea of darkness. A whimper fell from her quivering lips, "Am I dead?"

A familiar voice chuckled beside her, "It's about time you woke up."

Turning her head slightly, Gumi's mouth hung open for a moment at the sight that greeted her. Gakupo sat beside her, stroking her hair. He shook his head and leaned over to catch a few stray tears that escaped from her eyes. Finally, she spoke up, "B-but how...?"

"I'm not entirely sure of that myself." Gakupo answered unevenly and glanced back at the roaring flames nestled within the fireplace, warming the atmosphere. His smile returned as he pat his sister's hand and continued in a cheerful manner, "But you're safe and sound. That's what matters."

"And Luka?" came Gumi's hesitant voice.

Gakupo averted his gaze momentarily. "There's no need to worry. She's no longer a threat to anyone."

Silence crept into the family room. Gumi was reluctant to discuss the details of her duel with Luka because of her brother's emotional state. There was guilt in that smile she cherished so, and she felt unable to rid him of it. "_Aniki_, I..."

"No, please," Gakupo interrupted her, overwhelmed with the sentiment. Turning his back, he stared into the fire and murmured, "I am the one who should be apologizing. This never would have happened if I hadn't brought her here to begin with, and then I didn't even believe you when you tried to warn me. I assumed it was jealousy that forced you to make those bizarre accusations..."

"Well, I was jealous, so stop it already!" Gumi shouted suddenly.

Whipping his head around, Gakupo gasped, "What?"

"It was Luka's fault, not yours. Get that through your head." Grumbling, the girl reached out and touched her brother's face, flicking him in the forehead with a faint giggle. Not soon after, her small giggle prompted Gakupo into a full bout of laughter. His guilt slowly ebbed into the flow of gratitude as he lifted Gumi off the couch and danced around the room like a mad man, laughing all the while. Naturally, his sister protested, "Hey, put me down! You'll run into something, idiot!"

He ignored her pleas and twirled around until his legs became jelly. Upon which he flopped onto the sofa and cradled Gumi in his arms, whispering into her ear, "I'm proud of you, _imouto_..."

Gumi flushed a vivid shade of pink and replied in a tiny voice, "And I love you, _aniki_..."

* * *

**A/N: **For the record, this is my FIRST completed story! Huzzah! Ahem, that aside, I do hope that everyone has enjoyed this. Chapter titles were inspired by the Greek myth of "Psyche and Eros." If you didn't leave a review earlier, then now would be the time! Please, please tell me what you thought! About the ending, the characterization or even the 'horror' factor (if you want to call it that.) And, above all, thank you for reading and sticking with me! :D


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